Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume III, Foreign Economic Policy; International Monetary Policy, 1969–1972

101. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for International Economic Affairs (Flanigan) to the Special Representative for Trade Negotiations (Eberle)¹

Washington, September 12, 1972.

SUBJECT

• Trade Negotiations with the European Community

In the light of the discussions in the Council for International Economic Policy of September 11, 1972 relating to your August 21, 1972 memorandum entitled “US Response to Developing US-EC Trade Confrontation”,² the President has decided that for the present you should pursue a policy of modified confrontation exerting controlled but mounting pressures on issues involving both our trade interests and the principles of the present system. This should be done bearing in mind the overriding importance of our political relations with Europe and that our trade problems must be resolved in the context of larger policy considerations.³

PMF

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 219, CIEP. Confidential. A copy was sent to Kissinger.
2. See Document 100 and footnote 2 thereto.
3. With substantially the same language, Flanigan reissued this text on September 25 as CIEP Decision Memorandum No. 14, with copies to most members of the CIEP. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 219, CIEP)